It is commonly assumed and sometimes expressly claimed that today’s “higher” criticism of the Bible is really a new problem—the results of revolutionary scientific discoveries in our time. A little indepth acquaintance with the history of the Christian church in any of a number of periods in its past plainly reveals the error of that claim.
A Remarkable Cantata
Jan Zwart, writing in the January 17 issue of the Dutch De Reformatie, called attention to the fact that over 250 years ago, in 1724, no one less than Johann Sebastian Bach, the most famous of musicians, had composed a cantata vigorously attacking the criticism of the Bible and sectarian strife in the church. Mr. Zwart observed that that was the time in which “the ‘Enlightenment’ was increasingly becoming the dominant movement” and “everything that did not conform to ‘sound reason’” was rejected. Human reason was the court before which everything must be called to account, including the God of the Word. The holiness of religion and the majesty of the law might not exempt themselves from the criticism of sound reason. Everything in the Bible that could not be harmonized with reason was scrapped, in particular the miracles including that of Christ‘s miraculous conception.
“During that time Bach came to compose a splendid cantata that can be designated as a song in praise of sound doctrine. In it he made use of a poem of Luther based on Psalm 12. This is not surprising because in Psalm 12 David was speaking against those who no longer took the Word of the Lord seriously. A situation which was also becoming painfully obvious in Bach’s time.”
The cantata begins (and ends) with the whole choir singing a chorale, evidently in the words of Martin Luther, which paraphrase the first verse of the psalm. Where the psalm reads (KJV) “Help, LORD, for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men,” the choir sings:
O God, look down from Heaven And let Thy mercy be aroused How few are Thy saints We poor ones are forsaken: Thy Word is not acknowledged Faith has become quite extinct Among all mankind.
Thereupon a recitative sung by a tenor takes up verse two about the “vanity” which men speak “with flattering lips and with a double heart” applying it to the current church problem. As Zwart observed, “The cantata was not exaggerating when it exposed to ridicule those who take ‘foolish reason as their compass.’”
They teach vain, false cunning Which is against God and His Truth And what their own wits have thought out O misery which grievously harms the Church This must take the place of the Bible. The one chooses this, the other that, Foolish reason is their compass. They are like those graves of the dead Which, even though beautiful from outside Contain only stench and decay And have nothing but filth to show.
There follows an aria to which Zwart called special attention. The alto sings and reiterates a pr ayer which adapts and applies verses three and four of the psalm.
Destroy, O God, the doctrines That pervert Thy Word! Restrain heresy And all the rabble spirits; For they say without hesitation; Defy Him who would be our master! The bass soloist sings a recitative amplifying
verse five:
The poor ones are troubled, Their sighs, their anxious lamenting At so much affliction and distress, Through which the enemies torment pious souls, Penetrates the gracious ear of the Most High. Therefore God speaks: I must be their Helper! I have heard their imploring, The dawn of help, The bright sunshine of pure truth Shall, with new strength that brings comfort and life, Revive and delight them. I will have mercy on their distress, My healing Word shall be the strength of the poor ones.
The whole choir in a final chorale, following again Luther’s words, applies the last two verses:
This God, Thou wouldst preserve pure Before this wicked race; And let us be commended unto Thee That they do not mix among us. The godless mob is found all around Whenever such heretical persons are Exalted among Thy people.
A Song for Our Time
This is not a pretty song. But neither is that twelfth inspired Psalm. One is impressed by how far Bach, Luther, and David were removed from the spirit of the admonitions with which we are constantly confronted, that we must enter into continuing polite “dialog” with the better educated scholars who would show us more backward folk how to “struggle” with the problems of our time and try to salvage from the antiquities of Bible and ancient Christian confessions some “perspectives” that may still be acceptable and usable to people of our time. Instead, Bach, Luther, and David, were expressing in appropriate music the outrage which was and is being perpetrated upon God’s Word and the faith, life, and message of His Church. Whether they realize it or not, t hose leading in this critical movement are engaged in a wicked business. Luther and Bach knew it and, following the inspired psalms, taught the church to sing its prayer and praise to God for deliverance from and victory over the enemies. While we need to deal lovingly and patiently as well as prayerfully with the many who are confused and misled in our time, we need an awareness, as we are in danger of losing it, of what the real issues are. Perhaps some of the fiercer music of the great Christian composer Bach can help us recover that awareness. As Zwart observed, “Bach did not hesitate in opposition to the Bible criticism, to stand up for sound doctrine and also in his composing to call to the God who will preserve His people against the pride of His enemies.”
Jan Zwart’s comments about this Bach cantata were not original with him, but were taken from the somewhat fuller remarks in the annual historical survey of Dr. W. G. De Vries in the 1980 Handbook of the (Liberated) Reformed Churches.
Some of De Vries’ other observations and suggestions in the original yearbook essay from which Zwart was quoting, also merit attention. In that survey of a year of the churches’ history parts of Bach’s cantata were quoted at both the beginning and the end, suggesting that it (and the 12th Psalm) furnish an appropriate standpoint from which to see and understand what is happening in the church in our time.
Noting that Bach’s cantata can be called a song about the doctrine, De Vries observed that those who today would strive for the health-giving doctrine of the Bible definitely do not have the support of public opinion. Even in many so-called Christian circles they are regarded with suspicion. Those who are determined to cling to the doctrine are charged with lacking warmth and inspiration. And they will get plenty of ridicule. People talk about a “dying race” who still accept 17th Century doctrine. They are regarded as perhaps interesting museum-pieces, but not to be taken seriously in our time. One who lives in this climate of thought finds it difficult to imagine that a song could be composed about sound doctrine and sung with enthusiasm. But that has happened through the centuries and we need to be reminded of it.
Calling attention to the much musical activity and the many choirs in their church circles, De Vries suggests that it might be desirable that they would sing fewer of the “pietistically-colored” songs, and, instead, accompany and stimulate the struggle of the church by presenting a cantata such as this.
Have you ever sung, or heard Psalm 12 (Psalter Hymnal number 17)?
Help Lord, for those who love Thee fail, Thy faithful ones fall from the ranks, And leave the liars to their tale, False gratitude and treacherous thanks.
Lord, may those flattering lips be lashed, The boasting mouths stripped of their pride Those tongues that murmur unabashed, Who is this God? We shall abide!
Because the poor have been oppressed, And in their patience sigh alone, I will protect them in My breast The Lord has said, These are my own.
And what He saith is purified Like silver, sevenfold assayed. Though by this evil age defied, His word of truth shall be obeyed.
His promises shall stand secure, His saints are safe, though ill betide; He will protect His humble poor, Though rogues are honored far and wide.
Would this not be an appropriate song for a synod which at various points in its agenda confronts the challenge to the Bible’s authority?
Note: This is Bach’s second listed cantata, “Cantate BWV 2” recorded on Telefunken SKW 1/1-2. This is a current listing and is in the Calvin Library collection of records.
